Pass case binders



nited States Patent 3,018,532 PASS CASE BINDERS Nicholas Rinaldi, Waterbury, Conn., assignor to Scovill Manufacturing Company, Waterbury, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Oct. 20, 1959, Ser. No. 847,566 Claims. (Cl. 24--153) This invention relates to a pass case binder and more particularly to a binder for holding wing-type envelopes in a wallet, pass case or the like.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a pass case binder that can be attached to a wallet or pass case in such a way that it is always held to the case even when the wing envelopes are all removed. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple spring retaining clip held firmly to the pass case by a holder bar having end standards or posts projecting through holes in the pass case without special pockets or other bulky arrangements at the fold line.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved pass case binder of the kind described that is easy and inexpensive to manufacture, yet reliable and convenient to use.

In the accompanying drawings: 7

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pass case showing my improved pass case binder attached thereto;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of my improved pass case binder showing a wing envelope in dotted outline being slipped into the spring clip forming a part of the binder;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of my improved pass case binder; and,

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the FIG. 4 binder.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral designates generally a pass case which is designed to be folded transversely adjacent its center section as at 11 thereby providing front and back portions 12 and 13. Attached to the free end of the back portion 13 is a short strap 14 that is provided with a snap fastener member .15 adjacent its terminal end. When the pass case is closed, the strap 14 is folded over the free end of the front portion 12 and the fastener 15 is attached to a complemental fastener (not shown) on the face of the front portion 12, thereby securely closing the pass case.

Detachably held in the pass case 10 is a plurality of envelope units 16. A unit 16 consists of a pair of transparent envelopes 17 each joined at one end to a flexible center section 18 with notches 19 and 19a in its opposite edges.

My improved binder consists of two parts-a holder bar 20 and a spring clip 21. The holder bar 20 has an elongated base 22 with upstanding posts or standards 23 and 24 at its opposite ends. The post 23 is provided with an opening 25 adjacent its intermediate portion while the end of said post is turned outwardly away from the opposite post 24, thereby forming a cam surface 36 to aid in assembling the two parts of my binder. The post 24 has at its free end, an inturned projection 26 for reasons that will appear later.

The spring clip 21, preferably made from spring metal stock has a base 27 with upstanding arms 28 and 29 at its opposite ends. The distance across the outside of the arms 28 and 29 is slightly less than the distance between the inside of the posts 23 and 24 of the holder bar 20 so that the spring clip 21 may be fitted into said holder bar. The arm 28 has at its free end an outwardly formed projection 30 that will fit into the opening 25 of the post 23. The arm 29 is provided at an intermediate portion with an opening 31 that will accommodate the projection 26 of the post 24 when the clip 21 is snapped into place in the holder bar 20. Formed as an integral part of the arm 29 is an inwardly and downwardly extending envelope holding finger or spring extension 32 that has a relatively short upturned section 33 at its free end to assist in assembling the wing envelopes. The finger 32 is normally urged toward the base bar 27 due to the spring metal of which it is made with the upturned section 33 disposed substantially at the mid-portion of the spring clip base 27.

In attaching the binder to the pass case 18 the posts 23 and 24 of the holder bar 20 are inserted through the openings 34 and 35 provided in the fold area of said pass case so that the elongated base 22 is disposed against the outer surface of the case folded section 11 with the posts 23 and 24 projecting inside.

The spring clip 21 is now snapped into place between the posts 23 and 24 by positioning the clip as shown in dotted outline in FIG. 2 with the projection 26 of post 24 inserted in the opening 31 of the arm 29 and the projection 30 of arm 28 above the cam surface 36 of the post 23. The spring clip 21 is now pivoted clockwise about the projection 26 until the projection 30 contacts the cam surface 36 of post 23 thereby causing arm 28 to spring inwardly until the projection 30 snaps into the opening 25 and the base 27 bears against the inside surface of the folded section 11 of the pass case 10.

It will now be apparent that the pass case binder is securely attached to the pass case '10 even though there are no envelope units in said case. This in itself is an important feature of my invention as it permits the user to attach or detach envelopes from the pass case 10 without having to hold the binder so it will not fall apart or become detached from said pass case.

The envelope units 16 are attached to the binder by placing the notch 19 of the section 18 between the upturned section 33 of the holding finger 32 and the base 27 and pushing the center section 18 toward the post 29 thereby causing the section 18 to slide under the finger 32 and over the base 27 until the bottom of the notch 19 abuts the arm 29. The opposed notch 19!: will now clear the post 23 and arm 28 so that the center section 18 can assume a flat condition with the bottom of the notch 19a adjacent the arm 28.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show a modified form of binder wherein the holder bar 20a has an elongated base 22a and upstanding posts 23a and 24a each of which has an opening 25:: and 25b therein. The end of the post 23a is turned inwardly toward the opposite post 24a to make a hook 37 to aid in preventing accidental removal of the envelopes.

The spring clip 21a is provided with a holding finger 32a that is sheared out of the base 27a and lies substantially parallel to said base. The free end is formed downwardly at 32b with a short upturned section 33a. The upstanding arms 28a and 29a have outwardly formed projections 30a and 30b that fit into openings 25a and 25b of posts 23a and 24a.

The envelope units 16 are attached to the modified binder by placing the notch '19 of the section 18 between the upturned section 33a of the holding finger 32a and the base 27a and pushing the center section 18 toward the arm 29a thereby causing the section 18 to slide under the finger 32a and over the base 27 until the bottom of notch 19 abuts the base of the holding finger 32a.

The center section 18 is now buckled outwardly until the opposed notch 19a clears the inturned or hooked end 37 of the post 23a so that it can then assume a flat condition with the bottom of the notch 11% adjacent the the arm 28a so that they cannot slip from under the holding finger.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that I have provided a pass case binder for wing-type envelopes that needs no latching or unlatching of parts in use, will not become detached from its pass case even though all the envelopes are removed, and is cheap to manufacture, yet durable and convenient in use.

What I claim is:

1. A pass case binder for securing wing envelopes to a foldable pass case, said binder comprising a holder bar having an elongated base with upstanding posts at its opposite ends, said bar base adapted to be disposed against the outer surface of the fold area of said pass case with the posts projecting through openings in the fold area of said case, a spring clip for holding envelopes in said case comprising a base having upstanding arms at its opposite ends, said arms being spaced apart slightly less than the distance between the inside of said posts of the holder bar so that the clip fits between said posts, an envelope holding finger formed as an integral spring extension of one of said upstanding arms and overlying a portion of said spring clip base for clamping the envelopes therebet-ween, and means for connecting said holder clip upstanding arms with holder bar posts whereby said spring clip base will be disposed against the inner surface of the fold area of said pass case thereby locking said holder bar and spring clip firmly to said pass case.

2. A pass case binder for securing wing envelopes to a foldable pass case, said binder comprising a holder bar having an elongated base with upstanding posts at its opposite ends, said bar base adapted to be disposed against the outer surface of the fold area of said pass case with the posts projecting through openings in the fold area of said case, a spring clip comprising a base having upstanding arms at its opposite ends, said arms being spaced apart slightly less than the distance between the inside of said posts of the holder bar so that the clip fits between said posts, an envelope holding finger formed out of said base adjacent one of said arms and overlying a portion of said spring clip base so that said wing envelopes can be inserted between the finger and spring clip base, and means for connecting said spring clip arms to said holder bar posts whereby said spring clip base will be disposed against the inner surface of the fold area of said pass case thereby locking said holder bar and spring clip firmly to said pass case.

3. A pass case binder for securing wing envelopes to a foldable pass case, said binder comprising a holder bar having an elongated base with upstanding posts at its opposite ends, said bar base adapted to be disposed against the outer surface of the fold area of said pass case with the posts projecting through openings in the fold area of said case, a spring clip comprising a base having upstanding arms at its opposite ends, said arms being spaced apart slightly less than the distance between the inside of said posts of the holder bar so that the clip fits between said posts, envelope holder means formed as an integral part of said clip and adapted to overlie a portion of said spring clip base so that said wing envelopes can be inserted between said holder means and spring clip base, and means for connecting said spring clip arm to said holder bar posts whereby said spring clip base will be disposed against the inner surface of the fold area of said pass case thereby locking said holder bar and spring clip firmly to said pass case.

4. A pass case binder for securing wing envelopes to a foldable pass case, said binder comprising a holder bar having an elongated base with upstanding posts at its opposite ends, said bar base adapted to be disposed against the outer surface of the fold area of said pass case with the posts projecting through openings in the fold area of said case, a spring clip comprising a base having upstanding arms at its opposite ends, said arms being spaced apart slightly less than the distance between the inside of said posts of the holder bar so that the clip fits between said posts, envelope holder means formed as an integral part of said clip and adapted to overlie a portion of said spring clip base so that said wing envelopes can be inserted between said holder means and spring clip base, and means for connecting said spring clip arms to said holder bar posts, said means comprising a hinging connection between one of the spring clip arms and associated bar post and a snap locking engagement between the opposite spring clip arm and associated bar post.

5. A pass case binder for securing wing envelopes to a foldable pass case, said device comprising a holder bar having an elongated base with upstanding posts at its opposite ends, said bar base adapted to be disposed against the outer surface of the fold area of said pass case with the posts projecting through openings in the fold area of said case, one of said posts biased inwardly adjacent its free end, a spring clip comprising a base having upstanding arms at its opposite ends, said arms being spaced apart slightly less than the distance be tween the inside of said posts of the holder bar so that the clip fits between said posts, an envelope holding finger formed as an integral part of said clip and overlying a portion of said spring clip base so that said wing envelopes can be inserted between the finger and spring clip base, means connecting said spring clip arms to said holder bar posts whereby said inwardly biased post cooperates with said holding finger to retain said envelopes in said spring clip.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 193,037 Reynolds July 10, 1877 ,705,038 Broughton Mar. 29, 1955 2,750,642 England June 19, 1956 2,876,518 Shears Mar. 10, 1959 

